Moon Blood Magick: Sacred Ritual History of Menstruation and the Pineal Gland

Since ancient times, many human groups have regarded a women's moon cycle (menstrual period) to be a sacred time for ritualistic practice and spiritual shamanic journeying...not only for the women herself, but also her family and tribe. In other words, it was celebrated and seen as a beautiful sacrament of life.

Yucatan, 2013. Healing meditations by the sea.

Often times, before her cycle, a woman becomes more attuned to her psychic and metaphysical abilities. Her senses become heightened...a keener sense of smell and taste. She may see colors or other optical vibrations vividly. More women and people in general are opening up to higher vibrations. We are paying closer attention to the mystical things our minds and bodies are naturally capable of experiencing.

A few days ago, a friend of mine in South Africa enlightened me with a very interesting article titled "Why I love ovulating and why you should too!". The article pieces together many puzzles regarding the female "moon cycle" and how it connects to relationships with partners, the self, and everything that is. After reading, I was inspired to do a bit more research on the subject of menstruation as a holy sacrament, it's power to stimulate the third eye and the high levels of Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) released in the female body during this cycle.

It's all really interesting. DMT is naturally found in plants and animals. According to Dr. Rick Strassman, DMT is released from the pineal gland (though, this has yet to be proven by science). It's been said that DMT is released when babies take their first breathe, upon death and at various points throughout life.

It's interesting to note that the Egyptian Eye of Horus, a symbol of protection and good health, is nearly identical to the human pineal gland. Ancient Egyptians mixed menstrual blood with red wine to increase their spiritual power. In Greece, it was mixed with corn and used to fertilize crops and ensure bountiful harvests. Some Native American tribes saw menstruation as a time for relaxation, inspiration, oneness, solitude and creativity. During this time, women were taken to special tents where they would be cared for by other women of the tribe. In some cultures, women would be approached with prayer requests or people seeking spiritual guidance during their moon cycle.

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Yours truly, Los Angeles. 2008. Ink art by Hidden Hand Tattoo in Seattle.

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Pretty neat stuff.


The following is from a book called, 2012 and the Galactic Center: The Return of the Great Mother  By Christine R. Page

"Now this will sound very strange due to the moral stigmatisms that have been attached over the last few centuries...but here we go, and i'll keep it short.
Before beginning I should mention that the historical 'manna' or 'mannas,' whether psychoactive mushrooms, the potentially dangerous monoatomic gold, or a sacrament unknown, it is good to note that manna derives from the word moon.

It's also fascinating to appreciate that prior to approximately 1960BC, kings and other leaders ingested menstrual "moon" blood in the belief that it was infused with the moon's power of creativity, and hence, the elixir of life (the power to stimulate the third eye). We now know that during menses or the moon time, a woman's body produces hormones such as DMT (dimethyltryptamine), which are found in abundance in the menstrual blood.

Thus, every month, due to the release of these hormones, a woman is capable of traveling along the path of the priest-kings of old and entering the heart of the Great Mother (ocean of possibilities/void/'God'/black hole/wormhole). There she receives messages and insights that will benefit not only her spiritual evolution, but also that of her family and tribe. On her return from this altered state, she shares her visions with the tribe...

It's thought that women could purify the negativity of a family or whole tribe in just one adventure. And more importantly than just sharing his/her visions, the traveler should begin to embody this energy, acting as a lightning rod or conduit for higher vibrations."


I hope this has inspired you, male or female, to connect with your higher divine self and the oneness that is our beautiful and mysterious Universe.

The Temple of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico

Last week, we were fortunate enough to travel around the beautiful Yucatan Peninsula. We set off with the intentions of spreading around and absorbing as much love and ancient energy as possible (and I'd say it was a mission accomplished)!

I learned so much awesome info about Mayan, Mestizo and Mexican culture and history. We got to meet locals, chat with them and see what life is like for a modern day Mayan descendant. I'll save that topic for another post.

Now, I'd love to share a bit of wisdom on the Temple of Kukulkan (otherwise known as "El Castillo"- The Castle), one of the most famous pyramids in the world (and one of the most mysterious!!!).

photo by a. godbold

The Temple of Kukulkan, Chichen Itza. May 2013. 

Kukulkan is an ancient Mayan feathered serpent deity (also a tall, white, bearded dude). Said to have created the Earth, this serpent/human shapeshifter taught the Mayans mathematics, art, science, astrology and medicine. The Aztecs worshiped a similar god, Quetzalcoatl, with strikingly similar descriptions...yet many say that Mayans and Aztecs had no interaction. 

The stairs pictured here were designed to echo with the sound of a Quetzal bird, recognized as messenger of the gods. If you stand in front of them and clap, the sound travels all the way up the stairs and back down again in about 3 seconds with a chirping sound. 

On the spring and autumn equinoxes, you can view a huge serpent slithering down the side of the pyramid. This trick was cleverly designed and is created by the shadows of the stair blocks. An amazing pyramid with intense energy...recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. 

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Wild Dandelions: How to harvest and dry flowers for herbal tea.

The Dandelion plant is a bright and versatile wild edible with a long list of health benefits. These little beauties are all over the place this time of year. They were growing all over the yard and since today was mow-the-grass day, I decided to harvest and dry them for use in some yummy dandelion tea!

farmers field in PA

The entire Dandelion plant is edible and highly nutritious. The roots can be chopped up and boiled like carrots, making a hearty side dish. Alternatively, you can dry, roast and powder the root to use like coffee...minus the caffeine. The leaves work wonderfully in salads, steamed like spinach, or added to a smoothie. The flowers are perfect for making tea or dandelion fritters. 

Dandelion Health Benefits:

• high in calcium
• rich in iron
• low in calories
• loaded with antioxidants
• cleanses and purifies the liver
• soo many minerals
• lots of protein

Begin by harvest bright, healthy flowers around noon on a bright day, if possible. Make sure to clean the flowers of insects and debris. 

I used a simple cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to dry these dandelions. If you plan to eat the flowers fresh, or cook with them, use them immediately after harvest and cleaning. If you want to dry them for future use in herbal tea, lay them out in a single layer on a sheet and place it outside in the mid-day sun until dry (or place in oven on the lowest temp setting and dry slowly for about 2 hours, turning and tossing the flowers half way through).  Oven temps vary so keep a close eye on your flowers!

dandelions drying in the sun and crystals charging in purified water

Dandelion flowers after 2 hours of sun-drying

When the flowers are completely dry, store them in a glass jar that seals air tight or in sealed plastic bag. If stored properly, dried dandelion flowers have a shelf life of about 1-3 years.

Spirit Quartz, Citrine and Sodalite

Spirit Quartz-

Also known as Faerie Quartz, Cactus Quartz, Pineapple Quartz and Porcupine. These magickal pieces are found exclusively in Southern Africa. Spirit Quartz opens, activates, balances and harmonises the crown chakra, allowing one to connect fully with divine wisdoms. As the crown chakra is energetically charged, one’s clairvoyant, clairaudient, clairsentient and claircognisant states are also heightened. This guidance is often received with such clarity, that one’s fear is non-existent, as one chooses to live to the full potential of their soul purpose with strength, clarity, peace and grace. 

spirit quartz

• assists meditation
• balances chakras
• heals family/community problems
• helps community healing
• aids astral projection
• enhances dream work
• shamanic journeying
• auric shielding
• helps overcome grief
• activates and cleanses other stones
• rebirth (perfect for the season)
• natural attraction to faerie realm
• connects you to spirit and higher self
• freedom from fear
• channels otherworldly and divine inspiration
• connects and re-connects you with unconditional love

Citrine-

Also known as Merchant Stone or Sun Stone, legends say this crystal never needs cleansing. Citrine is highly energizing and nurtures creativity.  It also encourages generosity and sharing good fortune. Citrine brings intelligence, health, happiness, curiosity, confidence, and healing wisdom.

citrine

• balances yin/yang
• stimulates intuition
• positively influences education and interpersonal relationships
• supports the endocrine system
• encourages proper metabolism
• helps release anger and negative feelings
• activates solar plexus, sacral and crown chakras
• adds optimism and zest to life
• attracts prosperity 
• aids in detoxifying blood
• relieves menstrual and menopausal symptoms :)

Sodalite-

Sodalite stimulates thinking and truthful in emotions. It's a fantastic stone for clearing electromagnetic smog. When placed by a computer or other electronic, it's useful in blocking their emanations. 

sodalite

• encourages creativity
• helps verbalize thoughts
• eliminates confusion
• activates logic
• provides direction of purpose
• encourages self-esteem
• provides access to sacred universal law
• associated with third eye chakra and throat chakra
• provides protection
• unites logical with spiritual

Placing crystals around your home, car, and even in your pocket or bag, is a great way to cleanse and shield the energies around you. Cleanse your stones by placing them in sunlight or moonlight for a few hours. This will energize and clear them. You can also place your stones in running water, preferably a natural source, or bury the stones in earth for a few hours to ground and cleanse their energy. Smudge sticks such as sage and sweetgrass are also great for cleansing your special stones. Cleanse your crystals when they start to look cloudy or dull...or if they start to feel less vibrant...and see them come back to life! 

Oil Pulling with Sesame Oil- Personal Experiment

This morning, a friend inspired me to research the ancient art of oil pulling. This was done traditionally by followers of Ayurvedic medicine by swirling and swishing unrefined sesame oil around the mouth for about 15 minutes. The oil and saliva in your mouth team up to pull out toxins from the lymph nodes and blood.

After reading story after story of people curing disease and illness with oil pulling, I decided today would be the day I tried it, too.

I picked up unrefined sesame oil at my local health store. Other successful oils to try would be coconut oil and sunflower oil.

At 7:39 PM I poured one tablespoon of sesame oil into my mouth and started swishing. If you try oil pulling, make sure to just relax and gently pull the oil through your teeth, around your gums around your tongue. Avoid getting oil in your throat, and do not gargle. Spit the liquid into a commode or outside. Oil can clog pipes so don't spit in your sink or shower. It's recommended to oil pull first thing in the morning, before you've had anything to eat or drink...and up to three times daily, on an empty stomach.

I pulled for 15 minutes precisely, then rinsed my mouth a few times with fresh water.

As I sit here typing, I must say, I felt near immediate relief from my tooth/headache. A toothache I've had for over a year. My mouth feels...happy? That's kind of strange to say but it's true. My mouth actually feels like I just did something good for it. Kind of like that feeling when you slather creamy moisturizing lotion on dry, cracked skin. Such relief...

I'm going to take photos of my teeth and gums so I can compare progress in a few months. I'm definitely curious to see what happens...

This article is much more informative than I just was...so have a look and learn a lot!


Remember, use unrefined sesame, coconut, or sunflower oil for best results...happy pulling!